Rise From the Ashes
by strawberryfinn
Summary: [They say to keep going after death. But how can you go on if half of yourself is gone?] Cody is killed in a fire and Zack blames himself. But death is not strong enough to separate them. Cody is reincarnated into another boy and comes back to help Zack.


**Author's Note**: Sorry I've been out for so long. New story for you all. Again, I don't own _The Suite Life_ because Disney would never kill Cody. But, because I'm so wonderfully twisted, yes, I did kill Cody but I reincarnated him—somehow inspired by watching _Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior._ Anyways, hope you like, review please. (I actually do know a Jake Blitzer—he's a great guy).

**1**

There was a new kid in Zack's class that day. His name was Jake Blitzer. Zack didn't even look at him, even when Mrs. Bolter assigned the new boy the seat next to Zack. The seat that was supposed to be _Cody's._ Zack suddenly was afraid he was going to cry. _Cody's gone, Zack, get used to it. Cody's gone and he's not coming back._

He wasn't aware that he was trembling until he looked at his hand. The pencil grasped tightly between his fingers was shaking and he suddenly felt sick. He was afraid he had to vomit and tried blocking the feelings that threatened to overwhelm him. He raised a hand, ignoring the knowing looks from the students around him.

"Mr. Martin?" Mrs. Bolter asked anxiously, pushing her glasses down over her nose. Zack tried to ignore the sick feeling in his stomach, remembering how she had once only called him Zack because there had been two Mr. Martins. "What is it?"

Zack answered, trying to keep the tremble out of his voice. "Can I go to the bathroom?"

Mrs. Bolter looked skeptically at him and for an instant Zack felt relieved. It was like back to normal when Cody…

He stopped, trying desperately to hide the tears welling up in his eyes. Mrs. Bolter's face was suddenly awash with pity as she saw Zack hurriedly run an arm across his eyes.

"Of course Mr. Martin," she said in a worried voice. "Of course."

Zack stood abruptly, knocking his chair over in his hurry. He headed down the aisle, turning to look at his chair, but decided against it and continued out the door, hating the sympathy plastered across Mrs. Bolter's face. Mrs. Bolter sighed as the door slammed behind Zack's retreating form.

"Agnes, do you mind?" she gestured at the chair and Agnes picked it up, feeling like crying herself. Every student looked at each other silently, praying for Zack, and in turn Cody. All of them, that is, except the new boy who just grimaced softly as he stared at the empty chair next to him.

…

Zack locked the bathroom stall as he crumpled down on the dirty tile floor. A wave of nausea hit him and he grabbed the toilet seat, pulling himself towards the white bowl. He opened the lid and held his head over it, staring at the water. Another wave of sickness hit him and he vomited, his throat burning and his insides beginning to feel raw. He felt his stomach's contents escaping and leaned over the bowl, puking, thoughts of his brother running through his head the entire time. _Cody, I miss you. Look what you've done. I'm so sorry, Cody. I'm so sorry. It's my fault and…_

He pulled himself away and wiped his sleeve over his filthy mouth, only realizing that he was crying when his nose began to burn and he could feel the warm tears running over his cheeks. He grabbed some toilet paper and hurriedly wiped them away. The toilet paper dampened and ripped into small shreds in his hand. In frustration, he dropped the crumpled ball of paper on the floor, his voice racked with sobs as he curled into a ball and sat on the floor rocking back and forth, grateful for the privacy of the bathroom stall. He let all his grief out, the pain he'd suffered without his brother, not bothering to keep the sounds of his sobs quiet.

"Where are you, Cody?" he whispered, his voice choked with tears as he stared blankly in front of him. "I'm sorry, Cody—I miss you so much buddy, I'd do anything…" his voice cracked in pain, "anything to have you back, Cody. I'm so sorry. Please Cody," he looked up, as if expecting a sign, his voice arching onto a higher note when he didn't see it. "I miss you, buddy. You're my brother—my twin, and ever since you've…" he searched for the word—another one besides the horrifically serious "die", "gone… things haven't been the same. We need you—I need you and things are messed up without you. It's like the whole world needs you but everything's just so crazy without you here. Please Cody, if you can hear me… send me a sign, something, please, Cody. Let me know that… maybe it _wasn't_ my fault…" Zack buried his tear-streaked face in his knees, grasping himself into a small pile, sobbing. It was his fault, he thought. _It's my fault, I'm so selfish, it's my fault Cody's gone. I'll never forgive himself._ These thoughts ran through his head as he cried, knowing it was impossible to rid the pain and the guilt. Memories did not die.

With a final sniff, he stood up, wiping his swollen eyes. He pushed the door open and started towards the sink and then stopped, staring in front of him. It was the new kid.

…

Zack couldn't take his eyes off him. The boy—Jake—he reminded himself, somehow… _Cody?_ He snapped out of his daze, looking the boy over. What was he thinking?

Jake looked nothing like Cody. He had light brown hair—cut short—and wide black eyebrows. A few freckles dotted his pale face. He had full pink lips but what pulled Zack most to the boy were the eyes. The eyes were so intensely blue, so clear and bright and understanding. And innocent yet full of wisdom. It was the eyes that reminded Zack of his brother, even though Cody's eyes had been a puppy-like brown. Zack stared, feeling rather uncomfortable under the gaze of those intelligent blue orbs and finally managed to pull his own eyes away.

He felt Jake's eyes still on him as he reached for a scratchy brown paper towel and hurriedly wiped his eyes, ignoring the feeling of the prickly paper on his face. He washed his face, the cold water refreshing on his burning eyes, his heart still aching as he remembered why he had been crying. His fingers trembled as he dried his face and blew his nose, knowing that Jake was still staring at him from the reflection in the mirror. Zack stumbled towards the bathroom door, pushing it open as he stepped outside, placing his hands against the wall behind him for support.

A feeling crept over his heart, making the hair on the back of his neck rise in prickly spikes. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling but it still made his heart hammer in his chest: _fear_.

**Author's Note**: Who is this kid? Why's he following Zack around? What happened to Cody?

Only I know.

Review, please.

-Finn


End file.
